tis the season...

reasons i love the holidays:

the tree! 

what an adventure to find the perfect tree: the car ride full of anticipation, the trek through rows and rows of trees and suddenly, it's there, "how could no one else have picked this one, it's perfect!" a thank you to mother earth and a fresh cut, and it falls gently into our holiday celebration. tie it to the top or squish it inside between the kids and the whole ride home smells of evergreen and childhood memories. "welcome home tree, now let's embellish you." every ornament has a memory, every ornament has a story and every ornament fills the room with a little more cheer.

the cards! 

the cards are seemingly more and more special every year as post mail slips further and further from our daily lives. to receive and to send this tangible greeting makes me happy, truly happy!

the gifts! 

what a lovely thing to think about every person on your list and thank them for being such a special part of your life; to find (or make) just the right token of your appreciation and imagine that they will treasure it the way you treasure them.

the food! 
i love food! i love food all year long, but during the holidays when a few extra pounds is part of the package, i really enjoy the tasty morsels that reward every step of the holiday process. neighbors open up to each other with lovely holiday concoctions, friends share new favorite recipes, gatherings and dinners are full of decadent rich treasures that fill us up for the cold winter ahead. inevitably, no matter what you celebrate or don't, during this holiday season you are bound to run into something delicious, something that makes your day a little brighter.

the magic! 

for me the magic is everywhere. it's in the houses decorated with light and cheer; it's in the sticky gingerbread decorating fingers; it's in the holiday music and performance. the magic fills the air. 

and santa! in our house santa represents the mystery of life, the idea that some things appear to you from what feels like thin air. if we open ourselves up to the universe, we will be rewarded. if we give, we will receive. if we believe, magic can and does exist. we are fortunate!

so the holidays come with stress, and lists, and to-dos, but they also bring a deep sense of accomplishment, they facilitate friends helping friends, and families coming together. this time of year can even help us learn where to let go, help us recognize what is important and what can wait. to bring the magic of the season, we have to work a little harder, manage a little stress, but most good things in life come with a price, holiday or no holiday.

when it's all said and done, the holidays can be a source of light and warmth. you can let them bring you down or pick you up... your choice!